Teener Villaseñor steals Larga spotlight
If Darius John Villaseñor looked like someone who has climbed roads his entire life during the Solid North Larga Pilipinas bike race over the weekend, it’s because he has.
At 18, Villaseñor didn’t look like a teenager thrust into the frenzy of a pro peloton and stunned veterans in the 143.68-kilometer (km) opening stage in Nueva Ecija, bridging to eventual winner Marc Ryan Lago with a late attack on Mt. Balungao.
“I can handle the climbs because that’s what I’ve trained on since I started biking,” he said. “So when I went up to Balungao, I didn’t look back.”
Stage 2, a 90-km run into the steep approach of Monasterio de Tarlac, became his breakout. Cocooned in the safety of teammates, he reached the base with yellow-jersey wearer Lago—then launched an attack very few saw coming.
Alone on the ascent, the son of former Marlboro Tour rider Dennis Villaseñor opened a gap of more than a minute on a chasing group stacked with elite climbers.
Natural climber
“When I was younger, I learned to ride in Labi and Tanawan. Those climbs became natural to me,” he said, recalling early days training with seasoned riders like Marcelo Felipe. That foundation powered him to a winning 1:57:13, leaving pursuers nearly three minutes behind.
The victory introduced Villaseñor to a wider cycling public and signaled Victoria Sports’ investment in young talent. Larga Pilipinas, backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, PhilCycling and multiple private partners, saw more than 6,000 cyclists take part in the two-day, 200-km showcase across Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Pangasinan.
But the weekend belonged to the soft-spoken, fearless teenager.
“I just trusted what I’ve trained for,” Villaseñor said. “That’s why I kept going.”
